Month: July 2019

Text:      Job 9:25-26.

Aim:

To teach us to number our days that we may apply our hearts to the wisdom of soul winning, to teaching others God’s word, and living like Christ.

Introduction:

The Bible compares our life to many things.

Why?

So that we may realize how short our life is, and how important it is for us to number our days (ie: to plan our life) so that we have the maximum impact on the world for Christ.

In order to show us how short our life is, God compares our life to several things:

1.  A Vapour.

See James 4:14

All our plans depend on our life continuing.

But what a frail and uncertain thing our life is.

Who can build any solid plans on the permanence of a vapour or a mist?

A vapour is a mist that is dissipated by the rising sun.

“O remember that my life is wind….As the cloud is consumed and vanisheth away: so is he that goeth down to the grave.” Job 7:7,9.

“For he remembered that they were but flesh, a wind that passeth away, and cometh not again.”Ps.78:39

Notice that:

1) A vapour or wind passes away quickly, so does the life of man.

2) As we cannot stop a cloud or wind, so we cannot hinder the speedy motion of our days.

3) As a cloud comes to its height and then vanishes, so does our life and our full strength.

2.  A Flower.

See Job 14:1-2

See 1 Peter 1:24-25

Man’s life is compared to a fading flower.

Many things describe a flower such as having sweet smell, beauty, variety of colour, and softness to touch.

Job discusses none of these, but only of its cutting down.

Note the following truths about it’s cutting down:

a)A flower is often cut down or cropped in it’s budding.

Many people are cut off in the flower of life by i) Natural death by sickness, or ii) Accidental death by violence, murder, road accidents etc.

b) A flower if not cut off, soon withers away and is gone.

The “Queen of the Night” flower blooms in one night, gives a beautiful fragrance, and is dead and withered by morning.

c) As the owner of flowers knows best when to crop then, so God knows the best time when to crop off or take away by death any of his choice flowers.

3.  A Swift Post.

See Job 9:25

a) As a postman rides swiftly, in a hurry, so man’s life passes away swiftly.

b) A postman of years ago would

– ride on the swiftest of horses,

– he would change horses at every stage to keep up the speed,

– he would take a morsel of food at each stop, then speed on,

– he would only go to bed at the end of his journey,

– all people would give way to the post rider.

4.  A Swift Ship.

“They are passed away as the swift ships.” Job 9:26.

Watching a ship at sea, we notice how it passes very quickly, reminding us of our lives & opportunities.

5.  An Eagle.

“As the eagle that hasteth to the prey.” Job 9:26.

An eagle is a very swiftly flying bird, but when it hastens to catch its prey, it makes the greatest speed.

The life of man is compared to an eagle hurrying to catch her prey when hunger adds swiftness to her wings.

So it is with swiftness that our days pass away.

What have you done for Christ with your life?

6.  A Weaver’s Shuttle.

“My days are swifter than a weaver’s shuttle.” Job 7:6.

a) A weaver’s shuttle is an instrument of very swift motion.

b) When the weaver has finished his web, he cuts off the thread.

So it is that when a man has run the length of his days appointed by God, his life is cut off.

7.  A Shadow.

“He fleeth also as a shadow, and continueth not.” Job 14:2.

David said: “our days on the earth are as a shadow and there is none abiding.” I Chronicles 29:15.

Man’s life today is short compared to human lifespan before Noah’s flood.

Man’s life is much shorter compared to God’s eternity.

This is a great motive for us to redeem our time.

Conclusion:

a) Our days on earth are few.

b) Our days on earth are uncertain.

c) The shortness of our life shows the folly of living only for material things.

As did the rich man in Luke 12:16-21 – Read.

The word of God tells us “The fool and the brutish person perish, and leave their wealth to others. Their inward thought is, that their houses shall continue forever…This their way is their folly.” Psalm 49:10,11,13.

d) Our minds must be focused on eternity “knowing in yourselves that ye have in heaven a better and enduring substance.” Hebrews 10:34.

e) The shortness of life motivates us to use all our labours

to get people to heaven,

to teach the Bible,

to plant churches,

to train preachers,

be at peace among ourselves,

and live holy lives pleasing to God.

Let us be “redeeming the time, because the days are evil.” Ephesians 5:16.

Redeem the time” means “to buy it up, rescue it from loss, improve every opportunity.”

• Text: 2 Corinthians 1:3-4

• Introduction:
  • One of the greatest needs of the world is for people who are comforters.
  • The world has so much:
    • 1) wickedness and depressing things
    • 2) harsh and critical people
    • 3) difficult situations and
    • 4) disappointments and discouragements, that life’s burden can be great and difficult to bear.
  • A wonderful thing about coming to God’s house is that we can be among people:
    • – who love God and love each other.
    • – who will build each other up,
    • – who will comfort each other so we can better carry on under the trials of life.
    • – who will lift us up and cheer us, who will give us hope and joy to carry on, people
    • – who are with us when we are down, people
    • – who we can trust will not treat us badly, people
    • – who will be a blessing to us and to our family.
  • The main lesson we want to consider today is how we can:
    • a) be comforted ourselves, and
    • b) be a comforter of others.
  • Example:
    • One job of a pastor is to comfort those who need comforting.
    • Anything that hinders his ability to comfort others is an attack on those needing comforting.
  • Let’s build an atmosphere of comfort, love and encouragement where we can all grow to our maximum spiritual potential.
• Question: What Brings Comfort to us?
  • 1.      The Holy Spirit comforts us compared to the enemy who accuses us.
    • John 14:16-18.
  • When Saul’s attacks on the churches ceased at his conversion, we see these events in Acts 9:31.
    • a) the churches had rest – what a relief, what peace.
    • b) the churches were edified – they had a chance to develop, grow and build.
    • c) the people walked in the fear of God and in the comfort of the Holy Ghost.
    • d) the churches multiplied.
  • The Holy Spirit seeks to comfort believers and churches.
    • As we are filled with and led by the Holy Spirit, showing the fruit of the Spirit, we are comforted.
  • 2.      The Scriptures give us patience, comfort and hope.
    • Romans 15:4-5.
  • As we read the life stories of Bible characters, we see how;
    • i) They endured trials and God brought them through;
    • ii) They sacrificed and brought blessings to many peoples lives;
    • iii) Good came out of bad situations.
  • This gives us patience to endure trials, comfort that God is working out His plans, and hope that we will be kept safe.
  • This is one reason why we read the Bible and why it is so popular.
    • The Bible gives us patience, comfort and hope.
  • 3.      Preaching is a comfort to us.
    • “But he that prophesieth (or preaches) speaketh unto men to edification (strengthen), and exhortation (encourage), and comfort.” I Corinthians 14:3.
    • Preaching is meant to edify (strengthen), exhort (encourage) and comfort (console) believers.
  • 4.      Return of a faithful Christian friend.
  • Four men who comforted others are:
    • i)   Titus coming in II Corinthians 7:4-6. “God…comforted us by the coming of Titus.” (v.6).
    • Paul tells how in Macedonia, he and his workers had no rest, but were troubled on every side.
    • Outside were fightings. Inside were fears.
    • Paul said in v.6 that comfort came from 2 sources.
      • a) God comforts those who are cast down, and
      • b) God comforted us by the coming of Titus.
    • Titus coming to Paul was a great comfort because Titus was committed to helping build people up.
      • He was a blessing and a joy to be with. Is your coming a comfort and a blessing to others or a curse?
    • ii)  Tychichus’ arrival comforted the Ephesian’s hearts.
      • Ephesians 6:21-22.
    • iii) Timothy comforted Paul by giving a good report of the Christians at Philippi.
      • Philippians 2:19.
    • Timothy came to Thessalonica to comfort and establish them in the faith.
      • I Thess. 3:2.
    • iv) Justus, Paul’s fellow worker, comforted Paul.
      • Colossians 4:11.
  • 5.      The Return Of Christ comforts us.
    • I Thess. 4:13-18.- V.18 –  “…Comfort one another with these words.”
    • What words?
      • i)        Don’t sorrow hopelessly at the death of our loved ones. v.13.
      • ii)       The dead in Christ are with Christ in heaven. v.14.
      • iii)      The dead in Christ will rise first. v.14-16.
      • iv)      We will be caught up with them to meet the Lord in the air.
      • v)       We will ever be with the Lord. v.17.
  • 6.      Other believers Faith and Commitment to God, their local church and the work of God is a great comfort to all believers who are watching.
    • I Thessalonians 3:7-8.
    • Your faith, faithfulness and commitment to God’s work and to each other is a great comfort to other church members.
    • On the other hand, disloyalty is a discomfort to others.
    • If we stand fast and hold the traditions we’ve been taught by the Apostles in the New Testament, we will comfort others and be established in every good word and work.
      • II Thessalonians 2:15-17.
  • 7.      Thoughts of going to Heaven is a comfort.
    • Luke 16:25.
    • No matter how bad things get, we have the comfort of looking forward to joy and happiness forever in Heaven.
      • This is especially true for those who finish the work that God has given them to do.T
      • hey can look forward to receiving a crown of righteousness for faithfully serving Christ to the end. – I Timothy 4:6-8.
  • 8.      Speaking Good Words to people comforts them.
    • Rehoboam should have done this – I Kings12:1-7.
• Conclusion:
  • We are commanded to:
    • i)   Comfort the feebleminded ( little spirited, fainthearted, fretful, worried) – I Thess. 5:14.
    • ii)  Comfort those in trouble, by the comfort that we are comforted of God. II Cor. 1:3-4
    • iii) Comfort yourselves and edify one another even as ye do. – I Thessalonians 5:11.
    • iv) Be of good comfort, be of one mind, live in peace. – II Corinthians 13:11.
  • If you do these 8 things I mentioned this morning
    • Allow the Holy Spirit to comfort you
    • Allow the Scriptures to comfort you
    • Allow Preaching comfort you
    • Allow Return of a Faithful Christ Friend comfort you
    • Allow The Return of Christ comfort you
    • Allow Other believers faith and commitment comfort you
    • Allow the Thoughts of going to heaven comfort you
    • Allow Speaking Good words to people comfort you.
  • The result –
    • You will be a true comforter.

To Purge: “Who being the brightness of his glory, and the express image of his person, and upholding all things by the word of his power, when he had by himself purged our sins, sat down on the right hand of the Majesty on high;” – Hebrews 1:3

To Put Away: “For then must he often have suffered since the foundation of the world: but now once in the end of the world hath he appeared to put away sin by the sacrifice of himself.” – Hebrews 9:26

To Remember No More: “And their sins and iniquities will I remember no more.” – Hebrews 10:17

To Cleanse: “But if we walk in the light, as he is in the light, we have fellowship one with another, and the blood of Jesus Christ his Son cleanseth us from all sin.” – 1 John 1:7

To Wash: “And from Jesus Christ, who is the faithful witness, and the first begotten of the dead, and the prince of the kings of the earth. Unto him that loved us, and washed us from our sins in his own blood, And hath made us kings and priests unto God and his Father; to him be glory and dominion for ever and ever. Amen.” – Revelation 1:5-6

To Cover: “Blessed is he whose transgression is forgiven, whose sin is covered.” Psalm 32:1

To Remove From: “As far as the east is from the west, so far hath he removed our transgressions from us.” – Psalm 103:12

To Cast Behind His Back: “Behold, for peace I had great bitterness: but thou hast in love to my soul delivered it from the pit of corruption: for thou hast cast all my sins behind thy back.” – Isaiah 38:17

To Blot Out: “I, even I, am he that blotteth out thy transgressions for mine own sake, and will not remember thy sins.” – Isaiah 43:25

To Cast Into the Sea: “ He will turn again, he will have compassion upon us; he will subdue our iniquities; and thou wilt cast all their sins into the depths of the sea.” – Micah 7:19

Amos 8:11 “ Behold, the days come, saith the Lord GOD, that I will send a famine in the land, not a famine of bread, nor a thirst for water, but of hearing the words of the LORD:”

If there was ever a time in our history when men needed to hear and heed the Word of God, it is today. If there ever was a time when the preacher needed to proclaim the “whole counsel of God”, it is today instead, there is a famine in the land. Folks who used to love to come to church in here God’s word preached, no longer care for it. People who used to be able to quote passages of scripture without hesitation, can hardly find the books of the Bible. Why? Because the average church member has no hunger for spiritual things anymore. Evidence of this is our evening attendance. Evidence of this is the cold, blank, ignorant stare the preacher gets when preaching on the simple, basic doctrines of the Bible.

The church member who reveals a deep calmer sincere hunger for Bible preaching is the exception to the rule now a days. Some churches have gone into the entertainment business. They put on a show for those who come. Other churches have a great giveaway schemes, giving prizes to those who attend, in order to show a big attendance for the day.

God forbid! If the Word of God isn’t enough to bring god’s people to the house of God, nothing else should be used in its place. What we need is not a change of our church services, but a change of heart. We don’t need entertainment in our churches, we need old-fashioned hell fire and brimstone preaching, and a dedicated, consecrated, and repentant congregation to take the words into their heart. Church members who think they are doing God a favor by being in church need to wake up to the fact that it is a precious privilege to hear God’s word proclaimed, and to be careful not to be caught up in the great famine of the day: a famine of the Word of God.

Genesis 2:9 : ^“And out of the ground made the LORD God to grow every tree that is pleasant to the sight, and good for food; the tree of life also in the midst of the garden, and the tree of knowledge of good and evil.”  The “tree of life” pictures Christ. Like Christ, it was provided by God for the purpose of offering eternal life to man. The fruit of this tree was to be “freely” eaten (Genesis 2:16: “ And the LORD God commanded the man, saying, Of every tree of the garden thou mayest freely eat:”, just as eternal life in Christ is to be freely received. Merely knowing about the tree wasn’t enough; man had to personally receive its fruit into his system by eating of it.  He had a fair option to choose either this tree or the “tree of knowledge of good and evil,” but like men today, he chose death rather than life.